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Holman Moody "Bronco Hunter"

House

Minutia Militia
Joined
Aug 12, 2004
Messages
2,394
The tag looks legit to me, if you go look at other ones on the internet they are all similar.
My guess is it was a hunting rig for them. Any evidence of gun racks? ;)
 

BajaBronco

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Okay, that all makes better sense. I agree it was a hunting rig for them. I know they took one racer and a couple other Broncos when they left CA. This was probably one of the couple Broncos. But looks like relatively little was done to it. I believe it's still single shock.
 

BajaBronco

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Also, I believe it's a 69 Bronco, regardless of how it's titled. Build date is after Aug 1 1968. That would make it a 69 Bronco. Some lines like Mustangs, went to August 14, but with a build in late Aug as the Bronco is, I'm sure it was a 69 Bronco
 

broncobsession

Bronco Guru
Joined
Aug 12, 2001
Messages
4,049
Found a nice little advertisement for you...I'd love to have a few of these pieces.
feb156c946dad532e8a74263797907e2.jpg
 

Broncitis

MEB Founder
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May 18, 2004
Messages
5,267
Chad, if you make it up to the Carlisle Ford Nationals, bring some pics on your phone of these. Holman is often there.
 

toddz69

Sponsor/Vendor
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Nov 28, 2001
Messages
10,079
This Bronco has been sold to a collector who will be restoring it. Hopefully he will be able to determine its true history.

Todd Z.
 

House

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Cool, looks like a fun rig to play with and research!
 

BajaBronco

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I will be curious to see what transpires. Glad it has a good home!
 

Ucantafordnot2

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Nov 15, 2011
Messages
68
Loc.
China Grove NC
I reached out to Lee some time ago on it and never received a reply. Maybe someone else will have better luck.

Todd Z.

I talked with Lee Holman this mourning as we have a mutual friend and he helped me make contact with him..He told me that his father bought Jim Stroope out of the business of building baja type Ford Broncos in the 1970s (?) and that Halmon-Moody had done all the testing and development work for Ford before the trucks ever went to Stroope..All of the original R & D was done by HM workshops then released to Stroope for racing..Later they (HM) buy out all interest to Stroope.. Ok I got the buy out date for Stroope wrong Holman Moody bought out Stroope in 1965 and added Holman -Moody to the Stroope name evidently HM were better at business and Stroope stuck to the racing..I think the new hot thing with Broncos will now be to find more of the "Bronco Hunter" type trucks..
 
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Ucantafordnot2

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Nov 15, 2011
Messages
68
Loc.
China Grove NC
I would think that the "Bronco Hunter" would have been the true holy grail Bronco..I know where there is at least one more of those HM Broncos with the tag and 2 that went through the shop as private vehicals but dont have the tags..I didnt know all this when I placed the ad to sale my Broncos on this forum earlier..Since talking to Fred Propst ,friend and former business partner with Halmon-Moody, Charlie Nagy former HM workshop crew member(whom I bought my 1973 Bronco from) and Lee Holman I wonder if I should look them up on the MARTI report,might find something interesting..?
 

Ucantafordnot2

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Messages
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China Grove NC
after talking to Lee Holman today I believe both of my Broncos have HM therefore Stroope history as HM bought Stroope out in 1965..Both are local trucks and HM was the one that did the dealer installed items in the area from what I am told..
 

BajaBronco

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I see your edited post - yes, Stroppe needed financial help and Ford suggested HM team up with them early on. I believe HM left in or around late 68 or maybe early 69, just before Stroppe and his team began to win races in the desert, which lasted through to the mid 70s.

I've seen both the Hunter Bronco in detailed pictures, have known it existed since '95, and have a copy of the Marti report for this bronco. It lists it as a test vehicle under order type and states a Ford corporate address in MI. It has a Stroppe steering wheel and rollbar in it. Other than that it has no Stroppe or even Holman Moody parts on it, besides the tag.

I've owned 2 factory Stroppe racing Broncos, currently own one, and have hunted down the other existing Stroppe racing Broncos and none have an H-M tag. They do have number tags, but they are nothing similar to the tag on the "Bronco Hunter". Plus they are loaded with fabricated parts, and racing equipment. I've also turned up a few "pre-runner" and chase Broncos and trucks from the day and they were much more than a stock Bronco with 2-3 bolt on pieces. When I say a few, I've owned over 40 Baja Broncos by Stroppe, 2 Stroppe independent race pickups, 2 Stroppe team Broncos, 1 independent Bronco racer modified by Stroppe, and have personally inspected 5 of the Stroppe team racing Broncos, 3 of which are Holman Moody/Stroppe era (67-69). And I currently race a former Stroppe support Bronco in the NORRA races.

I'm not saying there is no story or history behind the "Bronco Hunter". It's certainly interesting, and I will be curious to see what is turned up now that it's in the hands its in. But as far as it being a holy grail of Broncos, I dont know if I'd agree with that.
 

BajaBronco

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after talking to Lee Holman today I believe both of my Broncos have HM therefore Stroope history as HM bought Stroope out in 1965..Both are local trucks and HM was the one that did the dealer installed items in the area from what I am told..

"in the area" being NC, correct? I agree that HM may have modified Broncos in the east after leaving CA, which is what I believe this Bronco Hunter is. Neat find.
 

Ucantafordnot2

Jr. Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
68
Loc.
China Grove NC
I see your edited post - yes, Stroppe needed financial help and Ford suggested HM team up with them early on. I believe HM left in or around late 68 or maybe early 69, just before Stroppe and his team began to win races in the desert, which lasted through to the mid 70s.

I've seen both the Hunter Bronco in detailed pictures, have known it existed since '95, and have a copy of the Marti report for this bronco. It lists it as a test vehicle under order type and states a Ford corporate address in MI. It has a Stroppe steering wheel and rollbar in it. Other than that it has no Stroppe or even Holman Moody parts on it, besides the tag.

I've owned 2 factory Stroppe racing Broncos, currently own one, and have hunted down the other existing Stroppe racing Broncos and none have an H-M tag. They do have number tags, but they are nothing similar to the tag on the "Bronco Hunter". Plus they are loaded with fabricated parts, and racing equipment. I've also turned up a few "pre-runner" and chase Broncos and trucks from the day and they were much more than a stock Bronco with 2-3 bolt on pieces. When I say a few, I've owned over 40 Baja Broncos by Stroppe, 2 Stroppe independent race pickups, 2 Stroppe team Broncos, 1 independent Bronco racer modified by Stroppe, and have personally inspected 5 of the Stroppe team racing Broncos, 3 of which are Holman Moody/Stroppe era (67-69). And I currently race a former Stroppe support Bronco in the NORRA races.

I'm not saying there is no story or history behind the "Bronco Hunter". It's certainly interesting, and I will be curious to see what is turned up now that it's in the hands its in. But as far as it being a holy grail of Broncos, I dont know if I'd agree with that.

John Holman was with Stroope(as an employ of Stroope) in the 1950s as a truck chaser for what eventully became the Baja 1000..He left that job and went to head up Ford racing in Charlotte NC..He then bought Stroope out in 1965..From then on Stroope was HMS and until the end of it all..Its really funny how it went from Holman working for Stroope then Holman owning Stroope ..After 1965 Stroope was there as a Driver and contributor only..Holman-Moody received every single Bronco race vehical that was let by Ford and they are the ones that were behind the whole program..I think some will soon realise that a Bronco with those Holman -Moody nomenclatures are going to be rare since that would seem to be where Stroope ended up finding success..
 

Ucantafordnot2

Jr. Member
Joined
Nov 15, 2011
Messages
68
Loc.
China Grove NC
I see your edited post - yes, Stroppe needed financial help and Ford suggested HM team up with them early on. I believe HM left in or around late 68 or maybe early 69, just before Stroppe and his team began to win races in the desert, which lasted through to the mid 70s.

I've seen both the Hunter Bronco in detailed pictures, have known it existed since '95, and have a copy of the Marti report for this bronco. It lists it as a test vehicle under order type and states a Ford corporate address in MI. It has a Stroppe steering wheel and rollbar in it. Other than that it has no Stroppe or even Holman Moody parts on it, besides the tag.

I've owned 2 factory Stroppe racing Broncos, currently own one, and have hunted down the other existing Stroppe racing Broncos and none have an H-M tag. They do have number tags, but they are nothing similar to the tag on the "Bronco Hunter". Plus they are loaded with fabricated parts, and racing equipment. I've also turned up a few "pre-runner" and chase Broncos and trucks from the day and they were much more than a stock Bronco with 2-3 bolt on pieces. When I say a few, I've owned over 40 Baja Broncos by Stroppe, 2 Stroppe independent race pickups, 2 Stroppe team Broncos, 1 independent Bronco racer modified by Stroppe, and have personally inspected 5 of the Stroppe team racing Broncos, 3 of which are Holman Moody/Stroppe era (67-69). And I currently race a former Stroppe support Bronco in the NORRA races.

I'm not saying there is no story or history behind the "Bronco Hunter". It's certainly interesting, and I will be curious to see what is turned up now that it's in the hands its in. But as far as it being a holy grail of Broncos, I dont know if I'd agree with that.

"Ive owned two" all built by Holman-Moody(Stroope) .......
 
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